


wedding bells

by adequater



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-21
Updated: 2017-01-21
Packaged: 2018-09-19 01:32:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,917
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9411500
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adequater/pseuds/adequater
Summary: it would be so much easier to tolerate jeno if he had been the stereotypical chaebol you see in dramas. the kind of chaebol who is stubborn, cocky, and just gets everything he wants with a click of his finger. it would be so easy to hate him. but the problem is, jeno is none of that, except he is sort of very fucking stubborn.





	

**Author's Note:**

> first time writing a (very) rare pair. they're cute. they deserve the very best. ideas: out. 
> 
> warning: i wrote this in the span of like three hours so it's rushed and unedited. i need this out of my system ahha bye.
> 
> enjoy reading! :))))

It’s a bright day outside, Renjun realises.

 

It seems like the weather is mocking him; all bright and sunny when all he feels inside right now is gloom and longing. Longing for what? Freedom? Is this how marriage is supposed to feel like? Like you’re trapped and suffocated? Like you want to get out? Definitely not. Renjun remembers just last two years, witnessing his father’s friend’s son getting married, being happy and looking at his spouse like she is the only girl in the world. He remembers swallowing the bitterness of loneliness inside of him when he saw the two at the altar, and now that he is going to be at the altar, he’s feeling like this. It’s ridiculous how indecisive he is.

 

The door of the dressing room opens and Renjun looks away from the window, half-expecting his mother to waltz in with unshed tears in her eyes, but is pleasantly surprised when he sees that it’s his best friend slash best man, Chenle. At least his parents had let him pick his own best man. Chenle is looking so frazzled despite the dashing tailored suit that Renjun is sort of pitying him a little. A little.

 

“Are you okay, Le?” Renjun asks. It feels like those are the first words he uttered since he woke up that morning. It probably is. Renjun doesn’t remember anything since the morning just went by in a hazy blur, and he’s sort of losing his mind a little.

 

“Yes, yes,” Chenle replies, and his fingers fly to his styled hair before he remembers that he is not supposed to mess it up, and sighs as he lowers his fingers regrettably. “Ge, this is so tiring. Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Renjun replies brightly, shooting Chenle a smile, his canines showing. He’s not. Chenle probably knows it.

 

“It’s time,” Chenle says solemnly, walking over to Renjun who is sitting on the chair in front of the dresser, putting his hands on the chair. Renjun has been sitting there since early morning, getting all dolled up by the makeup artist his mother hired to cover Renjun’s dark circles and blemishes. Chenle stares at Renjun’s reflection, studying him, and Renjun almost feel like fumbling under Chenle’s scrutinising gaze. Is that pimple on his forehead really noticeable, or Chenle is just trying to see underneath all of his façade?

 

“Let’s go.”

 

-

 

The wedding is huge. With the press snapping every moment to the point that Renjun is sure that he wouldn’t be able to forget his wedding even if he wants to because the press seems to be taking picture of almost everything. The flowers, the famous guests, the altar, the priest, everything. But then again, how can they not? The Lee and Huang families are a huge deal both in Korea and China. It’s a very big deal. But Renjun wishes that the press would just stop just because with the press there, it means that he has to fake his smile that he perfected after all these months right when he leaves his dressing room, or there would be articles that target the Huang group and their snobby child. There would be speculations. As if it’s not already suspicious that the two most powerful group’s sons in both Korea and China are marrying each other.

 

Renjun walks down the aisle, his father guiding him to the altar where Jeno is waiting, and Renjun sort of feels like a child right now despite the fact that his father is marrying him off and this is a step closer towards real adulthood. Renjun remembers the arguments he had with both his parents about this wedding. First of all, _why?_ Why him? He even almost asks why not his brother instead? His sweet innocent six-years-old brother before he gets himself straight. He just wants answers he almost lost his mind. Why, why, why? He has always been a good child. Always getting good grades all the way until university. He even has a good reputation among his father’s company and peers. He stays out of trouble, and now they’re marrying him off to some guy in Korea who Renjun knows is a famous chaebol who posts boyfriend-esque pictures on Instagram with a little over ten thousand followers.

 

But then the answer is so clear. So clear, that Renjun wonders why was he even asking and pondering so much. Money. It’s always money.

 

Everyone’s eyes are on him. The guests that his parents had invited, the press, his friends, his cousins who came all the way from China, his future husband’s family, his parents in law, his future husband. They’re all looking at him, so Renjun schools his expression in one of a soft smile that he hopes doesn’t turn out like a grimace. His future husband is looking at him, and Renjun hates himself for thinking about how attractive Jeno looks right now, waiting patiently at the altar.

 

Jeno is looking at him so intently, as if star-strucked, with a small smile adorning his handsome features, and Renjun stares back at him with a soft smile of his own. Anyone looking at them right now would think that they are really in love with each other and they’re not just two strangers who have been forced into marrying each other two months ago. Jeno looks so good clad in a tailored white suit to match the whole dreamy and flowery look of the wedding. Renjun thinks his mother did a good job with the suit, and Renjun has a brief flashback about his own suit fitting with Jeno’s mother where she gushes at every material she sees. Renjun hates how lovely he thinks Jeno’s mother is.

 

Renjun has reached Jeno now, and Renjun looks back at his father who looks like he is on the verge of crying. His father pats his arm twice before he goes to stand next to his mother, who also looks like she is about to start crying. She has been like that ever since they got to the wedding venue. Renjun wonders briefly why are they crying when they were the one who insisted that he should marry Jeno. It’s funny, but it’s not something that he can laugh at because this is his future right here. The wedding, the marriage, Jeno.

 

Jeno takes his hand, and they both stand in front of the priest, looking at each other. Renjun hears clearly the words the priest say, but it doesn’t feel like he is listening because Jeno is in front of him and he can only stare at him; not the groomsmen at the back of Jeno’s head who are all giving him sweet and welcoming smiles. Jeno is radiating so much calmness and tranquillity that Renjun sort of hates it. At least Renjun is only putting an act up. But Jeno just looks truly okay with everything that is happening and he hates it. Isn’t this happening way too fast? Aren’t they just two strangers? Shouldn’t he show just the slightest bit of remorse about the whole situation?

 

Jeno makes the declaration to love, comfort, honour, and protect Renjun as long as they both shall live, and Renjun follows after. It sounds ridiculous in Renjun’s ears because of the doubts swimming in his head. Are they going to? Jeno looks so genuine as he recites those words to Renjun with his twinkling eyes while Renjun can feel the resolves inside of him crumbling little by little by the fear in his tummy as he recites it after as he tries to not avoid Jeno's eyes. Renjun can see from the corner of his eyes that his mother has started crying into the handkerchief that his father offered her. They haven’t even gotten to the vows yet.

 

They both say their vows. The vows that Renjun memorises like death until last night. The vows that they both probably looked up on the internet because unlike most couples, they can’t say anything personal because that’s not who they are and they don’t know each other at all. They’re not two people who are in love, but two people who are forced to be together with each other just to make each other’s families even richer. Renjun can see that his parents have started crying, and Chenle is wiping their tears while trying to stop his own ones from falling. It’s ridiculous. Are they that great at acting?

 

They slip the rings on each other’s ring fingers and Renjun’s mind plays flashback to the time when he picked the rings out in a catalogue that his mother’s PA had brought. He remembers Jeno sitting in front of him, flipping through the same catalogue, and when they got to the same page, without both of them knowing, they immediately said _this one,_ and they both looked at each other in shock _._ It’s so simple. Originally just a gold band but Jeno’s mother insisted that they should carve both of their initials to them. _HRJ LJN._ Renjun hates himself for thinking how perfect the rings look on both of their ring fingers. _This is all fake, don’t get ahead of yourself_ , Renjun scolds himself.

 

“You are now husbands. You may now kiss the groom,” the priest finally says, and Renjun’s chest feels somewhat heavy and light; it's over, they don't have to say anything in front of each other in front of prying eyes, but then they're officially married and they have to kiss. They both lean in and Renjun feels Jeno hesitating for a second before he plants a kiss on Renjun’s lips. It should be awkward because Renjun doesn’t know if he should close his eyes or not at first, but when Jeno kisses him, he immediately closes them. Renjun opens his eyes as they pull away from each other, and cheers erupted through the venue, and Renjun can see Jeno’s groomsmen hugging each other and his parents in law and his parents hugging and congratulating each other.

 

How is everyone so happy?

 

-

 

Renjun thinks it would be so much easier if Jeno had been a bad person with a bad personality. Someone who is a total asshole, and a little less good looking because Renjun could totally roll with someone he could hate with a burning passion. Not someone who is too sweet and dorky for his own good with an equally god-carved face. He doesn’t know what he expects from Jeno, actually. A stereotypical chaebol son who gets everything they want with a soft click of their fingers? Yes.

 

But the thing is, Jeno is nothing like that. He is someone who would greet Renjun every morning when he wakes up with a soft touch on Renjun’s shoulder that has Renjun choking the first time he had done it, he drives Renjun and him to the office together when they could easily get a driver, and he actually tries to make conversations with Renjun instead of flat out ignoring him like how Renjun planned on doing to him. He’s nothing like anything he expects, and Renjun is trying to dig so deep to find out about things he has to hate about Jeno only to come into a conclusion of none.

 

It’s about a week after their wedding. They should be at a their honeymoon in some exotic, warm place because Korea is fucking cold. But ever since their companies made sort of a treaty, it has gotten even busier at work, it’s just not worth it to go on a honeymoon to miss shit loads of work. But it’s Friday now, and after Jeno’s father insists that both of them should go home early with the reason of honeymoon stage and they have been working too hard, Renjun already has a plan in mind when Jeno drives them home. Renjun wants to just lay down in the living room of their condominium in front of their TV, eating some trashy take-out. It’s supposed to be perfect, and Renjun is just about to choose between the Chinese and pizza place nearby when Jeno bounds down the stairs, stopping at the last step to stare at Renjun who is perched on their couch, waiting for Renjun to acknowledge him.

 

“What?” asks Renjun defensively, looking at him and covering his body with the blanket he brought from his room. He’s already in his sweatpants and some old t-shirt from his old university, immediately shucking his clothes off when he arrives at their home, going to his room to take a quick bath, then immediately going to their living room after changing.

 

“Can I join you?” Jeno asks him. He’s still in his slacks and dress shirt, his tie loose around his neck and Renjun thinks he looks ridiculously gorgeous despite his dishevelled state.

 

“I’m just going to pop in an anime, though,” Renjun replies weakly, biting his bottom lip with his sharp canine, a bad habit he has developed over the years and has gotten a little bit addicted to doing it that he doesn’t know how to stop.

 

“So you don’t want me to join?” Jeno asks pointedly, his hand on his hips, as if scolding Renjun, and Renjun sort of wants to throw the pillows on the couch at him.

 

“No,” Renjun scoffs, looking at Jeno agitatedly, “I mean, I’m only going to re-watch some anime. Are you sure you still want to join?”

 

“Yeah,” Jeno replies stubbornly, looking at Renjun in determination, as if challenging Renjun to tell him to do otherwise.

 

“Then take a fucking shower first,” Renjun counters, looking away from Jeno to their TV, and Renjun hears Jeno’s footsteps bounding up the stairs after he cheerily says okay to Renjun’s command. He’s so stupid.

 

Fifteen minutes later, Jeno comes bounding down the stairs again, this time with his own sweatpants, and his old university t-shirt to which Renjun raises an eyebrow at and to which Jeno defensively says that he wants to get into the theme. Apparently, the theme tonight is old university t-shirt and tattered sweatpants with holes.

 

“What are we watching?” Jeno asks, sitting down next to Renjun after turning off the lights of their living room so that the TV can be seen clearly.

 

“Haikyuu,” Renjun answers monotonously without turning his attention away from the screen which is showing episode one of season one.

 

“Hai-what?” Jeno asks again, and Renjun whips his head to Jeno. Jeno’s head is now resting on the  head of the sofa, so close to Renjun to the point of almost touching Renjun’s shoulders, and Jeno looks back at him innocently.

 

“You don’t know Haikyuu?” Renjun asks in disbelief. Seriously?

 

“Should I? Is it something I need to have a knowledge of when I married you?” Jeno asks, a teasing smile on his face as he laughs at the look of disbelief on Renjun’s face. Jeno thinks he’s so funny that it’s irritating and endearing at the same time.

 

“Yeah,” Renjun replies, looking away, taking his phone and quickly searching for the place of the pizza place. He doesn't know if Jeno likes Chinese food or not, so it's probably better to pick pizza. “Guess I’ll have to divorce you.”

 

“Don’t joke about things like that,” Jeno immediately scolds harshly, and Renjun looks at Jeno in surprise, his mouth hanging open a little as he takes in the irritated look on Jeno’s face. When Renjun continues to look at him in surprise and little hurt, he softens his expression.

  
“Just don’t, okay?” Jeno says softly, looking down, and he takes Renjun’s hand that rests in the little space between them, and squeezes it softly. “Don’t.”

 

“Okay,” Renjun replies, his mouth feeling dry. He quickly calls the pizza place to place his order, snatching his hand away from Jeno’s hold which earns him a stare. He continues to talk to the guy on the phone, babbling off his orders in his suddenly broken Korean, until he makes sure that Jeno isn’t looking at him anymore and is looking at the TV.

 

The atmosphere returns to normal after that, and Jeno gets a little more talkative, making small comments about the overly dramatised scenes in front of him, and their huge passion for mere volleyball (Jeno gets a bony elbow knocked to his stomach after that particular comment). He even asks why Renjun would watch a Japanese show when he knows zero Japanese just to be funny, which earns him a look from Renjun and Renjun asking him if he doesn’t know how to read English that has him quietly biting off the crust of his pizza after muttering that _of course he knows English_.

 

Jeno is so odd.

 

Jeno is so odd and he’s his husband who doesn’t like to joke about divorce.

 

-

 

_Click._

 

“Is this one okay?”

 

“Yeah, yeah, just take another last one, please.”

 

_Click._

“Okay, done?”

 

“Yeah, yeah. Last one!”

 

_Click._

 

This has been going on for about fifteen minutes now and Renjun is tired. They’re not even in China yet. Jeno is being so stupid, like he usually is. Apparently, after becoming Jeno’s husband, he now has the part-time job of taking Jeno's outfit of the day ("OOTD!" Jeno says when he hears Renjun saying that) picture for his Instagram. It’s so fucking ridiculous. The amount of effort Jeno puts in his Instagram photos when they’re just photos that people view.

 

Renjun didn’t have Instagram before, and when he told Jeno that when he was asked for his Instagram by Jeno, Jeno gasped in shock and Renjun could only roll his eyes. He watched silently as Jeno snatched his phone and typed his passcode (Renjun didn't even know how Jeno knew his passcode) to quickly download Instagram, and making Renjun’s account, complete with Renjun’s personal email address that he didn’t even know that Jeno knew, and password which he insisted Renjun on not changing. The password is their wedding date along with Jeno’s name. He’s fucking ridiculous. But Renjun suggested snidely for him to change his own Instagram password with their wedding date _and_ Renjun’s name, and Jeno readily agreed with a cheeky smile on his face as he immediately changed it. Renjun could only look at him helplessly. They’re both ridiculous.

 

“Are we done yet?” Renjun asks for the nth time. “This is the hundredth photo, Jeno.”

 

“Well maybe if you’re a good photographer we would end up with a good photo,” Jeno counters back.

 

Jeno is currently striking up nonchalant poses, or candid, as Jeno says, in front of the wall of Incheon Airport that is covered in green fake plants that, as Jeno says, makes a good outfit of the day pictures. They’re just waiting for their flight to China to board now, when Jeno spots the wall, immediately dragging him there after checking in. It’s under Renjun and Jeno’s parents insistence that they both go back to China for just a week in a mock honeymoon. His mother had whined about missing him since both his parents had to return to China immediately after Renjun and Jeno’s wedding, and Jeno’s parents insist that they have been working too hard and they deserve a break after working for a month straight after their wedding when they haven’t even gone to a honeymoon yet.

 

After countless of pictures, their gate finally opens, and Renjun quickly drags Jeno to immediately board the plane. They just got back from work, and after rushing home to change into comfier but expensive outfits, they immediately drove off to Incheon Airport with a driver from Jeno’s parents. Renjun continues to sing blessings to all his privileges in life as he sits down on their assigned seats in the business class. Renjun is about to close his eyes and sleep the whole way to China when Jeno who is next to him speaks up.

 

“Do you miss China?”

 

“Ish, I guess,” Renjun replies, opening his eyes to peek at Jeno who is studying him unabashedly. He looks good right now in a black sweater with his Burberry coat.

 

“Ish. How ish?” he asks again, and Renjun softly kicks his legs, a silent plead for him to shut up to which, of course, Jeno ignores. Renjun figures he probably wants a full explanation before Renjun passes out.

 

“A lot ish. I mean, I’ve always lived in Korea since high school, and I manage dad’s company in Korea. But I could always go to China for a visit back then,” Renjun moves in closer, whispering in Jeno’s ear, scared of people eavesdropping, “but ever since marrying you and everything, I can’t go back often. I need to always be with you, you know?”

 

Renjun leans back in his chair, and closes his eyes. Ah, sleep.

 

“Sorry,” Jeno says, and Renjun senses sadness in his tone so Renjun opens his eyes in alarm to be greeted by Jeno’s puppy-like eyes staring at him, as if asking for forgiveness.

 

“No worries, husband,” Renjun jokes, punching Jeno’s shoulder softly, and then pushing him down his seat, forcing him to relax. “Relax, Jeno. We’re here now, aren’t we?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

-

 

As much as Renjun loves China, he also hates China.

 

First of all, it’s the air. Lord, the polluted air. The smog is so strong that both of them had to wear their masks every single day ever since they land in China. It’s nice that they don’t have to work for a week, and can explore the city in their casual clothes, but it’s sometimes suffocating to walk around in that kind of environment. Second of all, his parents. His parents are sparsely at work for the week both of them are in China because they want to spend time with him and Jeno before they go back to Korea. Every time they see the two together, they would ask Renjun and Jeno again and again about adoption for a kid, their relationship development, and basically everything there is to their current marriage. To be honest, Renjun doesn’t know where their relationship stands right now too because Renjun is pretty sure they’re friends. But they’re married, aren’t they? So really, Renjun doesn’t know.

 

But China is home.

 

Renjun drags Jeno to his old elementary and his middle school in China where he meets his old teachers who still work there, and introduces Jeno as his husband in Chinese which seems to put a smile on Jeno’s face every time he says the word. What is there to deny? They are husbands and their marriage was so publicised. Renjun drags him to the mall he used to go hang out with Chenle after school before they both moved to Korea for high school and Jeno takes it all in with a fond smile on his face and a lot of pictures as Renjun chatters on and on, mixing in Chinese as well when he gets a little too excited. 

 

“Are you happy?” Jeno asks on their fifth night in China. His parents had insisted that they both stay at their home instead of any hotel that they could definitely afford, and they were put in the same guest room before Renjun can even decline. At first, Renjun was so insistent on getting the bed, telling Jeno that he can sleep on the floor for all he cares, and Jeno gave him the stink eye and told him that he should get the bed since he’s the guest to which Renjun scoffed at because _he_ is technically a guest too. In the end, Jeno just throws Renjun’s lanky body on the bed and said that they’re both going to be on the bed since Renjun’s parents may rise up some questions too if they see them not sharing a bed. Especially with one of them on the floor.

 

“Mhm,” Renjun hums, his eyes closed, but he can feel Jeno’s face near his; his presence so close it’s almost overbearing.

 

“Good. I don’t want you to think that by marrying me, I’m stopping you from being happy,” comes Jeno’s reply.

 

Renjun cracks open his eyes and comes face to face with Jeno who is looking at him intently. He’s always doing that these days, looking at Renjun, staring at him as if he is so interesting when Renjun could be talking about his bowel activities, and Jeno would be looking at him with the fond expression all the same.

 

“What is this, pillow talk?” Renjun jokes, and Jeno breathes out a chuckle, shuffling closer to Renjun. They’re close now, and they get even closer when Jeno snakes his arms around Renjun’s waist, pulling him closer so that Renjun is quite literally resting his head on Jeno’s broad shoulder, near his collarbone where Jeno’s scent is the strongest.

 

“Yeah, I want you to be happy.”

 

-

 

China is big. China is so big and over-populated that Renjun thinks he wouldn’t even see _him_ again after all these years. But here he is, in the same café as he is, staring at Renjun in wonder and pleasant surprise. He’s coming closer now, until he stops in front of their table, to which Jeno raises his one eyebrow at.

 

“Renjun!”

 

“Sicheng,” Renjun returns with less vigour as Sicheng’s tone, surprise evident in his features and Renjun can feel Jeno’s eyes on him.

 

“It’s been so long! How have you been?!” Sicheng says in Chinese. He is still looking at him, not even bothering to glance at Jeno who is looking so confused at the foreign language and a little bit irritated at this intruder.

 

“Alright. This is my husband, Lee Jeno,” Renjun briefly replies, and directs Sicheng’s attention away from him and to Jeno, who looks pleased at the word husband again.

 

“Oh,” Sicheng says in surprise, and Renjun almost feels like hiding when Sicheng’s eyes slide over from him to Jeno to properly study him. “You’re married?”

 

“I am,” Renjun replies easily, because he is. Not matter how arranged his marriage is, he is still married.

 

“Oh,” Sicheng says again, and he looks a little bit deflated before he quickly brightens up, ruffling his hair, and smiles the same smile that Renjun would die for back then. “That’s really neat. I’m glad. I’ll get going now. See you around, Injunie.”

 

“See you around,” Renjun replies weakly, waving at Sicheng as he exits the café with the drink he picked up in his hand.

 

“See you never,” Jeno mutters in Korean, and Renjun shoots him a look.

 

It’s their sixth day which means that it is their last day before they have to board their flight back to Korea early in the morning tomorrow. Renjun is sort of already missing China a little despite the fact that they haven’t even gone back to Korea yet. They both decided to just spend the day like they always do for the whole week, walking around, going to tourist attractions, and trying food out. It’s a surprise how they bumped into Sicheng when this café doesn’t look all too popular.

 

“Who was that?” Jeno asks sourly.

 

“Sicheng, an old senior of mine,” Renjun replies carefully, studying Jeno’s expression which morphs into one of absolute distaste.

 

“He seems to be looking sad when you mentioned that you are married?” Jeno inquires, and Renjun can feel his neck heating up. He scratches his nape, and fixes the baseball cap on top of his head despite it looking perfect.

 

“Really?”

 

“Mhm.”

 

“Right. What do you wanna do ne-“

 

“Who is he?” Jeno interrupts, and Renjun pouts a little, giving up.

 

“Fine. We used to date around a little, okay? That’s it,” Renjun replies defensively, slouching back on his chair.

 

“That’s it?” Jeno asks, and Renjun shoots him a look at the doubtful inquiry.

 

“Yeah? Do I need to tell you all about my past lovers? Who are you, my father?” Renjun shoots back, and Jeno rolls his eyes at him.

 

“No, but I'm your husband.”

 

“I don’t see how that relates to me having to tell you about my old relationships. You don’t even tell me about yours!” Renjun argues back, a pout on his lips that the corner of Jeno’s lips twitch at.

 

“Fine, I’ll tell you all about my exes if you tell me about yours,” Jeno compromises, and Renjun shoots him another look.

 

“What makes you think I want to know about your gross relationships?” Renjun asks, despite knowing fully well himself that he wants to know.

 

“Gross _past_ relationships,” Jeno corrects, and he leans forward to smirk at Renjun. “Don’t act like you don’t want to know, Injunie.”

 

Renjun hates him. Renjun hates him because he is right. He does want to know. So he gives in, and their last lunch in China is spent chattering about their exes and their past. It’s nice.

 

-

 

Their second kiss happens some time after they got back from China. It’s just work, work, work, and more work after China which means going to work together early morning from their condo, and going back late to their condo at night after finishing up work. It means not knowing whose room is whose anymore since they just now sleep together in Renjun’s room where the bed is the comfiest. Somehow the sharing bed in China triggered their inner cuddling needs and they now can barely part. Neither are complaining, so it’s okay.

 

The second kiss happens outside a posh bar somewhere in Itaewon. It is on Friday after work, and Jeno drags Renjun to go meet with his friends whom Renjun recognises from their wedding as Jeno’s groomsmen named Minhyung, Donghyuck, and Jaemin. They’re all so boisterous and loud that Renjun can barely keep up with the onslaught slurs of quick Korean, but they include him in their conversations, repeat their sentence when Renjun doesn’t understand, and tease Jeno for holding Renjun’s hand the entire night, not drinking since he is driving, and taking pictures of everything so it’s okay.

 

They’re kissing now, and everything feels so wet and hot, but so right. They’re supposed to be going back to their condo after saying their goodbyes to Jeno’s friends. But somehow after Renjun continues to stumble around that Jeno can barely hold him, Renjun just smashes Jeno to the dirty wall of the outside of the bar and kisses him breathless. Not so romantic for their second kiss, compared to their first one on their wedding with the flowers surrounding them and people looking at them lovingly, but it works. It works because Jeno is kissing him back. Renjun breaks apart.

 

“We should stop,” Renjun slurs out, resting his head on Jeno’s shoulder, near his collarbones where his cologne is the strongest.

 

“Why?” Jeno rasps out.

 

“Because,” Renjun starts, but stops because he doesn’t know. Why should they stop?

 

“We’re married, Injun,”

 

“I know. My Instagram password reminds me of the date every time.”

 

“So why should we stop?” Jeno asks, and Renjun stays silent because he has no good answer to that. They’re married. They’re not doing anything wrong. But it’s all wrong. Because they’re not in love, and this whole thing is arranged.

 

Jeno sighs and starts carrying him to their car, where Jeno puts him in the passenger seat. Jeno looks at him, his lips red and swollen from their little heated kiss and Renjun thinks he looks lovely like this. He says so too, and it elicits a chuckle from Jeno, who is still looking at him fondly. Renjun wants Jeno to stop looking at him like that. He’s so stupid. He tells him that. In Korean or Chinese, Renjun doesn’t know.

 

“You’re one hell of a gem,” Jeno says, and he takes a picture of Renjun’s current dishevelled state that Renjun absentmindedly hopes he didn't post on his Instagram, before he shuts the door, goes to the driver seat, and starts driving home.

 

Home.

 

-

 

Renjun expects a lot of things from this marriage. He expects talks about having secret partners that they have to hide from their parents and the press, he expects talks about how they should act in front of their parents to make them believe that they are happy, he expects talks about how they should act at work, he expects talks about adopting a child because that’s what their parents want, and he expects a stubborn brat who will force Renjun to do anything he wants Renjun to do.

 

But he gets none of that, except for a stubborn brat, because that’s who Jeno is. He gets none of that because it all comes naturally with Jeno.

 

There are no talks about having secret affairs with some other people because Jeno has his eyes on Renjun ever since the first time he saw him, and it’s stupid how Renjun doesn’t notice just how insistent Jeno is on liking him after all these months just because he firmly and blindly believes that he won’t fall in love with Jeno. Renjun is also kind of stupid because it crosses his mind that he has never even bat an eye at anyone ever since Jeno comes waltzing in his life.

 

There are no talks about how they should act in front of their parents to put whatever façade they’re trying to pull off because there’s no façade. Jeno and Renjun are just truly happy with each other, and they get along so well it’s stupid. It’s stupid that Renjun thinks so fondly about his parents-in-law despite remembering that he cursed them inside his head when he was first dropped the news of their arranged marriage. It’s stupid because his parents adore Jeno so much, and Jeno adores them. They have nothing to put up because they have been so happy all along, it’s… stupid. All the expectations he has, they’re stupid.

 

Renjun wakes up the next morning after their second kiss with Jeno still fast asleep next to him. He looks so calm right now and Renjun doesn’t want to wake him up. He looks so stupidly calm after their kiss, it seems like he knows what is going to happen next because it has been clear to him all along about what he wants and just who is Renjun to him. Not like how it’s so unclear to Renjun before. Renjun clears his throat.

 

“Wake up, dickhead,” Renjun mumbles, tapping Jeno’s chest twice.

 

“That’s not a very nice way to wake your husband up,” Jeno mumbles sleepily as he opens his eyes, his voice raspy from sleep and Renjun thinks it’s so stupid that Jeno can immediately make a goofy joke right after he wakes up.

 

“Sorry,” Renjun mumbles, and he rests his head on Jeno’s shoulder.

 

“For what?” Jeno asks, and Renjun has a feeling he knows.

 

“For calling you a dickhead,” Renjun mumbles, a pout on his lips that he desperately tries to hide.

 

“And?” Jeno inquires, breathing into Renjun’s hair sleepily, sniffing it absentmindedly like a cat.

 

“For not realising that I really love you soon enough,” Renjun mumbles, nuzzling his nose further into Jeno’s collarbones.

 

“That’s okay, I know you’re not that bright,” Jeno snorts out, and Renjun punches his chest softly, “but I love you too. Have always loved you since the first time.”

 

The first time. Their first meeting, their first kiss, their first date, their first time picking out their rings. _Which first time?_ Renjun wants to ask, but he stays silent. Jeno takes his hand in his, and caresses the ring on his ring finger as if he knows what Renjun is thinking without even having Renjun to ask the question. _HRJ LJN._

**Author's Note:**

> that's it. i don't know if this makes sense or not. kudos and comments are appreciated :)
> 
> i'm on [twitter](https://twitter.com/nctkkum) if you wanna follow me! 
> 
> and i opened up a [curiouscat!!](https://curiouscat.me/adequater) if you wanna ask me questions hehe


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